By: Asad Kiyani
PDF Version: Examining the Future of Policing in Edmonton: Reflections on Reform & Accountability – Part 1
The killing of George Floyd in the United States has prompted a swell of public activism across Canada. Building on the initial wave of ‘Black Lives Matter’ initiatives – which was itself sparked by police killings of other Black citizens in the United States several years ago – and tapping into decades-long demands for public sector reform across Canada, this activism has in particular focused on Canadian policing. Part of the public debate is about defunding and/or abolishing policing.
Edmonton City Council was recently presented with such a motion (summarized here), and is currently hearing from members of the public about the proposal. It is a timely initiative, not just because of the public outcry, but because Alberta had begun the process of reviewing the provincial Police Act, RSA 2000, c P-17, even before George Floyd’s death three weeks ago.
In this blog post and one to follow, I offer a slightly edited version of the presentation on which I based my comments to Edmonton City Council. The motion covers a lot of ground, including potentially freezing the scheduled budget increase for the Edmonton Police Service (EPS); independent oversight of complaints against the police and other enforcement officers (such as Transit Peace Officers); and, a review of the city’s street checks policy.